Little Dragon, Little Demon
by SkyIshtar
Summary: Maleficent was a horrible mother, Hades makes an alright dad. How will Auradon react to a Hades raised Mal in their castle?
1. Mine

_**A/N: I've been looking for a good Hades raises Mal story and couldn't so I decided to write my own.**_

* * *

_**Mine**_

Fear was good.

Fear made people run away. Even the most ruthless villains cleared the streets when he walked by.

Hades, once God of the Underworld, now just another resident of the Isle of the Lost.

Still people feared him.

Still they ran away.

All but me.

If I wanted to prove to mother just how wicked I really could be then taking on the biggest bad on the Isle would be a sure way to do it.

Mother ruled the Isle but Hades could have taken it from her with a single word.

_Mine._

With that single word even Maleficent, Mistress of Evil would have bowed to the god.

Taking something of his would prove my worth once and for all. She could no longer call me weak. She could no longer call me useless.

A retched child.

Sometimes I forgot my own name, she never used it. Only retched child.

A burden.

My father's daughter. He-Who-Must-Never-Be-Spoken-Of.

A constant reminder of her weakness. That she had once let her herself feel something other than hate for another being.

She hadn't made the same mistake with me.

The best I could hope for is respect.

Today was the day I earned it.

Hades' pants sagged slightly to one side, a sure sign of something heavy in one pocket.

My prize.

Proof of my wickedness.

I followed at a distance. With so many skirting out of his way if I got any closer, I would be noticed, I would be caught.

The truly wicked were never caught. If I pulled this off, I would finally be one step ahead of my mother.

She, after all, had been caught.

Finally, he turned down an alley that people escape from. He pushed people out of his way.

My one chance.

I hurried down the alley after him. Head down and hood up I brushed past the god as a pushed a group of children out of his way and reached into his pocked, taking what was inside.

I hurried on, scrambling away with the other children.

Hades kept walking. He hadn't noticed a thing.

I ran before he could.

Grabbing a stone from the ground off the floor of a nearby alley and hurled it at a sign.

_Do not throw stones._

Yeah, right.

The ladder descended with the strike. I climbed.

One rung, two rung, three.

"Get down here, little rat."

A hand yanked me down by the ankle.

I hit the ground. Hard.

I would not cry. I wouldn't. Only the weak cried. I was not weak.

"By Zeus, you have to be what? Four?"

"Five." I couldn't help but snarl, pushing myself to my feet. I was not a child.

I don't think I ever had been. Mother had made sure of that.

I kept my hood up as I turned to face my attacker.

Hades.

He studied me briefly before holding out his hand. "Give it to me."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

My prize. I truly didn't know what it was, safely in my pocket I hadn't had a chance to even look at it. Stopping would have slowed me down.

Still I had been caught.

"The Ember, girl, give it back."

Hades' Ember.

Everyone on the Isle knew of it. Now I had it. Mother would have to be proud of me now.

I did the only thing I could think of.

I kicked Hades between the legs and ran.

I was fast. I had to be to escape my mother's grasp when I angered her.

Hades was faster.

Grabbing me by the shoulder he whirled me around, pulling my hood down as he did so.

He let go and took a step back.

"Mal?" He retook the step forward. "Mali?"

He was distracted. He knew my name. I didn't care. One chance. That was all I had.

I ran.

This time he didn't follow.

* * *

"Mother! Mother!"

I hurried up the steps of her crumbling castle, still one of the grandest on the Isle.

She stood on the balcony, surveying her domain. She didn't even bother to turn around. "I'm busy."

"But I stole something."

"So what? When I was your age, I was well on my way to cursing entire kingdoms. It'll take than a few stolen trinkets to impress me."

I already knew that. I reached into my pocket, rolling the stone between my fingers, the Ember. I didn't see what was so great about it but it would impress her. That was what mattered.

I stopped.

She would take it. My prize. Mine.

I sighed. "Never mind."

Later.

The next time she called me useless, a burden, I would bring it out.

I would prove her wrong.

I'd be more wicked than she ever was.

* * *

Sitting on the window sill I hung one foot out into the open air. From here I could just make out the turrets of the castles and palaces of Auradon.

I'd been so close. Why couldn't I just have handed it over?

I turned the blue stone over in my hand.

Mine. It was mine.

It called to me.

It whispered my name.

_Mali._

That was the name it whispered. The same name Hades had called me.

_Mali._

No one had ever called me that. Now Hades and the Ember called me it on the same day.

Mali.

It sounded…

It sounded kind. I think. If I knew what kindness sounded like.

I liked it.

"It calls to you?"

I looked down; Hades lazed on the sloping roof below.

I pocket the Ember. "What do you want?"

"First, the Ember. Then, to talk."

I gripped the Ember in my pocket. Mine. It was mine. "What could you possibly have to talk to me about?"

Hades stood up and stretched. "Do you know who I am?"

"You're Hades." Everyone knew that.

"I am your father."

I almost fell out the window. He-Who-Must-Never-Be-Spoken-Of.

My father.

Hades was my father.

He wasn't lying. Living around so many thieves and liars I knew a con when I saw one.

This wasn't one.

Hades, my father, held out his hand. "The Ember."

"I need it."

"It's of no use to you, girl." He dropped his hand. "It holds no power here. Its as useless as your mother's staff."  
"I don't need its magic. I need it to prove to her I'm not useless."

My father climbed climber up to sit next to me on the ledge. "Your mother?"

I nodded. "She thinks I'm useless. A burden. A retched child. My father's," he raised an eyebrow, "your daughter." An insult. At least in her mind. "If I show her I'm as wicked as she is, that I stole from a god, she'll have to respect me."

"Is respect all you want?"

No. "Its all I'll get."

"So why didn't you give it to her?"

Its mine. Mine. "I'm saving it."

"For?"

"For when I really make her angry."

"You're afraid of her?"

"Aren't you? Isn't why you left us?"

"I left your mother."

"You left me. With her."

"I though she would make you stronger. But a child should never their parent, dislike maybe, but never fear." There was a look in his eye that told me there was a story behind his words.

Hades offered me his hand. "Come with me and I'll make sure you're never afraid of anyone ever again. I'll help you make sure they're afraid of you."

I didn't even have to think about it. Anything to get away from her.

I took his hand.

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_**A/N: Reviews, Favourites and Follows are always welcome.**_


	2. As Time Goes By

**A/N: Sorry about the time jump, there will be flashbacks to Mal's childhood throughout the story.**

* * *

_**As Time Goes By**_

Mother didn't even bother to come looking for me.

Not once in ten years.

I saw her from time to time around the Isle, we'd even exchanged a few words but they usually consisted of "out of my way," or "scram."

As far as she cared I was living on the streets. I wouldn't be the only one. Villains weren't real big on taking care of her kids. A lot of VKs slept rough. And as far as the rest of the Isle knew, I did too.

They didn't know that every night I took a cart down to the depths of the old mine where I had warm bed waiting for me and a full belly.

Children ran when I walked the streets. One day the adults would too.

They would fear me. Just as dad had promised. He made me strong. Stronger than my mother ever could.

He taught me things that my mother would have made me learn on my own. What would have taken me years to teach myself.

With that I saw a side of him no else saw, maybe no one had ever truly seen.

I saw the kindness. Although he would never admit it.

I saw the smile touch his lip when I came home with the school's Evilest of the Year award year after year.

He bandaged my hand the first time I punched someone, breaking my thumb in the process. After that he taught me to punch properly.

They didn't see him dance along to the echoing music from above with his tambourine. They didn't see him take my hand and twirl me around the mine.

They didn't hear his laugh and they had never seen him cry, either in joy or sadness. I had seen both.

Although he would not allow them into our home, he encouraged me to have friends. Mother had said friends were a weakness that could be exploited, dad said friends made loyal minions. Fear could only go so far. It was good to have an inner circle. Someone to watch my back.

No one knew Hades was my dad. Word of a daughter with the blood of both a god and a fairy running through her veins would reach Auradon. The one thing I still feared was how they would react if they found out.

Dad had never tried to quash that fear. Despite his promise. That fear made me safe. That fear made me wise.

To world I was Maleficent's daughter. To me, down to the very depths of my soul, I was Hades'.

* * *

"Boat's coming in." The echo would reach dad in the very depths of the mine in the stone craves that was his bedroom.

"Get the good stuff." The echo came back.

"Don't I always?"

No reply.

I made sure to put the old record on as I left. Dog barks filled every nook and cranny. Dad promised that once we made it off the Isle he'd take me to meet the real Cerberus, he would take me to see the Underworld. He would take me wherever I wanted to go.

I could see the world I had been denied for so long.

He promised one day we would be free.

Unlike my mother he never spoke of revenge, only of returning to the life he had been denied. Of the life I had been denied as his daughter.

I pushed myself my way to the front of the crowd waiting for the boat to arrive. It wasn't hard, most villains sent their children on the supply run and the kids were smart enough to get out of my way.

The blue-haired Evie stood at my back, watching it as dad said she would as well as using the parting of the crowd to secure a place at the front as well.

We made a good team.

Jay would have made a good battering ram but he preferred to steal off the kids once they had secured the goods rather than fight for them himself.

I had a brief look for the mess of white hair that was Carlos but didn't see him.

Late again.

I made a note to grab a couple of extra cans for him. It was good to keep your minions fed and loyal after all. Unhappy minions, those that weren't ruled by fear, were more than likely to rise up or dessert you.

The boat tied itself to the dock and lowered its plank. That's when the pushing and shoving turned into a full out brawl.

Evie and I avoided it, at least for the most part. No one dared move against us.

Well, almost no one.

Uma, daughter Ursula, tried to elbow me in the ribs, I twisted her arm behind her. She wouldn't try again. At least not today. She would next time. A lesson I had to teach her time and time again. She never learned.

We gathered the tins first; they lasted the longest and the supply boats didn't exactly stick to schedule. I managed a bag of coffee next, stuffing it into my black bag with the cans. Evie grabbed sine fruits and vegetables, already rotting, before diving into the pile of new, semi-used clothes, grabbing anything blue, anything that didn't fit her or me we could trade later.

Once upon a time, as stupid as it sounded, I wore purple, matching the hair I had inherited from my mother, but the longer I lived with my father the bluer it turned and my style changed with it.

Had the Isle not known better they could have mistaken Evie and I as sister. When we first met, I thought we might have been, that Hades was her father too. But no, Evie's father was brief dalliance of the Evil Queen's during her bad boy phase, one of Hook's pirates. He had as much interest in his daughter as my mother had in me.

We slipped off the boat as the fighting continued. We had our bounty, there was no point in sticking around. Just for good measure I elbowed Harriette and Harry Hook off the plank into the sea below.

Everyone got out of our way, one of the Gastons (Jr, third or fourth, I wasn't entirely sure), preferring to be call to be called Gil actually jumped into the water rather than get in my way. I wasn't entirely sure he could swim. That would involve thinking, something none of the Gaston brood did particularly well.

I nodded to Jay, waiting in the shadows of the docks, waiting to strike.

Heading to Rock's Throw, my personal hideaway, Evie and I sorted out bounty.

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**As always favourites, reviews and follows are welcome**


	3. Dream of Escape

**_A/N: __Replying to a couple of comments_**

**_In terms of updates I like to stay two chapters ahead of what I post. E.g. this is chapter 3 and I have written up to chapter 5. I'd like to post every day or two but how much I write depends on my work schedule, so it might take longer._**

**_A few keen readers have started noticing ties to Greek mythology, there'll be more. If there are really obscure references, I'll leave a foot note. Although I like the Disney movie it has glaring inaccuracies (don't get me started, we'd be here for a week)_**

**_Now on with the story_**

* * *

_**Dream of Escape**_

_Age 5_

_Hades put the bowl in front of me._

_I frowned. "What's this?"_

"_Dinner." He studied the bowl. "Meat. Don't ask what kind."_

"_What do I have to do for it?"_

_He frowned as he sat opposite me with his own bowl of questionable meat. "What do you mean?"_

"_Mother says food must be earned." I poked the food. "Do I need to scare someone? Take something from them? Do I need to do something wicked?"_

"_Mal," Hades stopped me. "All you need to do is eat."_

_For the first time I went to bed with a full stomach._

* * *

Present

Evie took the cans of fish, neither dad or I were particularly fond of it and the Evil Queen thought the oil kept her young. We split the fruit and vegetables, not evenly, more 70-30, but Evie didn't complain. Dad loved apples, something about a particular punishment in the Underworld, Tantalus* he called him. I gave Evie one can of beans and one of corn. I took the rest for myself, leaving three cans for Carlos.

Then came the clothes.

I took a leather jacket for myself and a torn coat for dad. Evie took the rest, she was an excellent sewer, I might get a for more things once she made some alterations.

I sat back. "What do you think?"

"One of our better hauls."

I had to agree. "The fruit doesn't seem quite as rotten today. Maybe it'll taste different."

"Better?"

"I didn't say that." I was used to rotten fruit, fresh just wouldn't be the same.

The sound of a rock being thrown signalled Jay's arrival.

He dumped his stolen goods on the floor. Nothing particularly exciting; a few cans, a couple of wallets and a couple of mouldy rolls. I knew Jay, the best of his haul was already safely hidden away, this was just what he was willing to share, or more importantly, trade.

"Peas for the pudding."

"Done." Throwing the cans at each other we swapped the goods.

"Happy birthday." He threw a bag of half used make-up at Evie.

It wasn't her birthday but Jay had always had a soft spot for her.

She squealed as she sorted through the bag. She gave Jay a tin of tuna in return.

He pulled some paper out of his pocket. "Look what I nicked from one of Uma's cronies."

Letters.

They were few and far between the Isle, only coming in, rarely out. A few official petitions for clemency, usually from the goblins, got out now and then but they were ignored. No one even if they made it as far as the king's desk.

Jay would most likely trade them to their rightful owners for a trinket for his father's shop or some food.

That didn't mean we couldn't read them first.

Information was power.

One of dad's lessons, or maybe it was one of mother's that actually stuck.

I snatched one before Jay could pull them away.

Who was it…?

_The Evil Queen_

Written in neat calligraphy across the envelope.

I passed it to Evie.

Jay actually passed me the next one.

_Cruella de Vil_

I could have read it but I pocketed it for Carlos. He needed whatever leverage he could over his mother, if only to save him from scrapping her bunions.

"This one's mine." Jay showed me the scrawl on one of the two remaining envelopes.

_Jafar of Agrabah._

That left one.

"This is yours."

I half expected Hades to be written on the envelope, even if Jay and Evie didn't know the truth.

It was worse.

_Maleficent._

I ripped open the envelope. The others did the same.

Evie must have read faster because she squealed before I even made it past the pompous greeting.

"What the hell?"

I finally made it to the part that made Evie squeal and Jay swear.

As part of this rehabilitation program we are pleased to offer your daughter, Mal, a place in the inaugural class at Auradon Prep.

"What in Zeus' name?" One of dad's favourite curses that I'd picked up over the years.

Evie snatched my letter before passing me her's. Both of us checking they were the same.

"Auradon Prep. They've got to be kidding."

I pulled Carlos' letter to check too.

His was the same.

"So many princes," Evie sighed wishfully.

Jay grinned. "So much to steal."

"So not going."

"Just think about it, Mal," Evie grabbed me by the hands to twirl me around the room. "Auradon, where it's always sunny."

"I like the dark." I lived in a mine after all.

She stopped. "How about revenge on those that sent our parents here."

"I don't want revenge." My mother deserved to be here and dad… dad deserved to come with me.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing. I'm happy where I am." It wasn't a lie. I was happy living with dad, if I still lived with mother, I might jump at the chance to leave but dad, I couldn't leave him behind.

"Bull, you want freedom. Just like the rest of us. If we pull this off, convince them we're good who knows what they'll let us do." Jay joined the argument.

Maybe, just maybe, from the other side of the barrier I could get dad out.

"I'll go."

Evie squealed again and pulled me into a hug. "We're going to have so much fun."

Fun. I didn't want revenge but there was a thing or two I could teach those pretty princesses and pompous princes.

Stepping back, Evie frowned. "Are you going to tell your mum?"

"I don't know." She probably wouldn't even notice if I left the Isle. If she knew I was leaving she'd probably try and pull me into one of her evil schemes to try and escape. "I'll think about it."

* * *

I honestly did think about it but I needed to talk to dad first.

He was lounging on his throne when I returned, swinging his feet off the armrest as I turned the record off. "Anything good?"

"Oh, you have no idea."

A twinkle of pride appeared in his eyes. "That's my girl."

* * *

**_*In Greek Mythology Tantalus was a King who attempted to serve his own son at a feast with the gods, he was punished to forever go thirsty and hungry in the Underworld despite standing in a pool of water and almost within reach of a fruit tree._**


	4. Promises

_**A:N:**_

_**61394: Does Hades pray to his little brother that's kinda weird**__. It's more like he swears at him_

_**AmethystDragon14: Will this story be Bal? Even if it's not the main focus?**__Bal, yes. Main focus, no__**.**_

_**Danifan3000: won't people in Auradon suspect that's she the daughter of Hades rather than the daughter of Maleficent by the way she's dressed?**__Unfortunately, as much as she may hate it Mal still looks like a younger version of her mum, just with blue hair and clothes. Which given other people on the Isle have blue hair and clothes (Evie) it doesn't scream Hades.__**And**__Technically Uma and Mal are second cousins, once removed (Ursula and Triton are Mal's first cousins). But it won't come up in this story._

_**MagnetGirl11511: THAT'S ABOUT KRONOS AHHHHHH SO COOL**__. Maybe_

* * *

_**Promises**_

_Age 5_

_I sat on the stairs listening to the music that echoed down into the mine. There was a party going on above. Word on the street was that it was the party of a princess. A princess on the Isle, someone's wires had to have been crossed. I'd never been to a party before. Mother detested them, not that I had ever been invited to one._

_Hades sat down next do me. "What's going on, little dragon."_

_Little dragon, I liked the sound of that. "There's a party."_

"_Do you want to go?"_

_I looked up and couldn't help but smile. "Can I?"_

"_One on condition."_

_My smile fell. Conditions, I had wondered when they would come up. I would have to earn my keep. I would have to prove my wickedness. "What condition?"_

"_Have a dance with me first."_

_He stood up and offered me a hand._

_I took it._

* * *

Present

Dad was in a good mood. He had been for days after reading the letter.

It scared the Isle's residents more than when he was angry. An angry Hades was predictable, no one knew how to how to handle a happy.

And none of them had a clue what he was happy about.

Three days after reading the letter, we sat by the roaring blue fire.

Dad sat forward. "I'm happy you're getting out of here."

"But we were supposed to see the sun together, to see the world."

"And one day we will."

"You want me to help you escape?"

"I want you to be happy."

"Even if it means leaving you here?"

"Even if means leaving me here."

"I'll get you out. I promise."

He smiled. "There's my little dragon. Keep that fire in your belly burning and Auradon won't stand a chance."

* * *

Word spread around the Isle. Maybe Jay or Carlos couldn't keep their mouths shut, maybe Jafar had bragged to a customer or two or maybe the Evil Queen boasted about her sweet Evie soon to snag herself a prince.

Evie swore it wasn't her and dad wouldn't have said a word, except for Pain and Panic he didn't exactly have anyone to tell.

What the Isle knew, mother knew.

I was defacing one of the few clean walls on the Isle when heard her goons' approach.

I didn't turn about, adding the finishing touches to the art. "Hello, mother."

"Mal, my beautiful baby girl, it's been too long."

One last spray of paint. "Not long enough."

"That's no way to speak to your mother."

I finally turned around, crossing my arms. "What do you want?"

"Can't a mother visit her daughter."

"Normal mothers, yes. You. No."

She was not amused. "I came to give you something."

I knew my mother's game. "In exchange for what? A way off the Island."

"Well, if happen to come across fairy godmother's wand and happen to bring down the barrier, then we could be together again. Mother and daughter ruling side by side."

"I think I'll pass."

"You can come home, Mal."

It wasn't my home; it never had been. "Now that I'm useful to you?" Useless, a burden, that's what she called me. She had been right about one thing; I was my father's daughter.

She held out a book. "Finem don't do it for your dear mother, do it because if you fail and they send you back here, I'll make you wish you were never born."

I took the book, her spell book. I'd seen it once as a child, I'd stolen it from the fridge/safe. She'd let one of her minions baby sit that night, which literally meant sitting on the baby, sitting on me.

A week later I stole the Ember.

"I'll think about it."

Anyone else would have waited for the Mistress of Evil to walk away first. I didn't.

I walked away first.

* * *

"I can pack my own stuff."

Dad continued to throw stuff into the black plastic bag that would hold all that I could take to Auradon. "You can't take anything that'll lead them back to me. As far as they're concerned, you're only Maleficent's daughter."

"I know the drill." I'd been running if for ten years, almost eleven now.

"You should really dye your hair back to purple."

"No." I wouldn't look like her, not again. Not to mention I would have to get a whole new wardrobe.

"And keep your temper in check."

"Why?"

"If you're mother's daughter, little dragon, the you'll become a not so little dragon."

I hoped not. "And if I'm your daughter."

"First you'll steam and then you'll burn." He stood up and took my hand. "Little dragon or little demon, you are stronger than you know. Maybe even stronger than me. Keep it in check, steam you can pass off as dragon's heat. A full-on burn and they'll find out who, and what, you are."

Half god, half fairy. A dangerous combination. Maybe the most dangerous.

"I'll be fine. And I'll get you out. Whatever it takes."

"Be safe, Mali, don't risk your freedom for me. I'm not worth it."

"You're worth everything."

A hug. They were a rare gesture from dad, that's what made them all the more special.

I took in his smell; coal from the mine and a slight undertone of a bonfire.

Home. He smelled of home.

I never wanted him to let go.

"Time to go."

He couldn't come with me, couldn't hug me goodbye before I crossed the bridge. He would watch, he could make sure I got off safely but from the crowd with the rest of the Isle that came to see us off.

"What if I never come back, what if I never see you again?"

"The give them hell, little demon. Never forget who you are because as much as they pretend, they'll never forget where you come from. Do what you gotta do, when push come to shove do what's best for you. Even if it means leaving me behind."

We finally separated.

"Do you have the Ember?" He asked.

He hadn't asked for it in ten years. Not since that day in the window.

I kept it with me, always.

Nothing could be traced back to him. I would have to leave it behind.

I pulled the Ember from my pocket and held it out. "Here."

Dad closed my hand over it and shook his head. "Keep it with you, keep it safe and let it keep you safe. In Auradon it will have power, _you_ will have power."

"It only works for you." For me it was little more than a blue stone, one that had led me to the life I could've never dreamed of.

"You're half me. It'll work for you. I can't guarantee that it'll do everything for you as it does for me but it'll do enough."

I hugged him again. "You've given my everything."

"I've given you nothing. Everything you have taken for yourself. I'm proud of you, Mal."


	5. The Fire Within

_**A/N:**_

_**Luiz4200: Who do people in Auradon think Mal's father is?**__No one particularly cares, no one asked in three movies. To them she's the daughter of Maleficent and that's all that matters_

* * *

_**The Fire Within**_

_Age 15_

_The stomping woke me up. I groaned and covered my head with a pillow._

_Then the tambourine started._

"_Time to get up, Mali."_

"_What time is it?" I continued to groan, rolling over I tried to block out my torture._

"_Just after six."_

"_Six!" I threw a pillow at him._

_Dad only laughed._

_That only hurt my head even more._

"_What are you doing?" I gritted my teeth, with my pillow gone I had no way of blocking the sound._

_Dad did a turn, slapping the tambourine against his thigh. "Teaching my fifteen-year-old daughter a lesson."_

_I knew the lesson._

"_Okay, okay, I've learned my lesson, can I go back to sleep now?"_

_He grinned. "Poor Mali, are you sad?"_

"_Just angry and tired. Stop. Please."_

_He didn't. Not once did he stop playing that bloody tambourine._

* * *

Present

There was a crowd gathering in the square in front of the arch of the broken bridge off the Isle. There was a limo waiting. I'd never seen one in person before, only grainy pictures on the Auradon news channel, the only signal that made it through the barrier. Royalty had fleets of them.

I was surprised it hadn't been pillaged already. Only a single man in a suit and sunglasses stood guard.

No one touched him.

No one would.

No one wanted to risk the wrath of Auradon. On the Isle they were already paying the price of crossing King Adam and his royal friends. They didn't want suffer a worse fate.

I approached alone but I knew his eyes were on me, protecting me and making sure I got away safely. I would miss his watchful eye.

The others, in one way or another arrived with their parents. Carlos was fleeing from his mother, who was yelling at him about fluffing her hair before he went. The Evil Queen was putting the finishing touches on Evie's make up and giving her last-minute advice on how to snag a prince (with a big castle and a mother-in-law wing). Jafar coached his son on the finer points of stealing from the rich (start small, things they wouldn't notice and work his way up to the big score). The long con he called it.

"Bring home the gold!"

"Bring home a puppy!"

"Bring home a Prince!"

Dad's gaze wasn't the only one I felt trained on me.

I looked up to see my mother watching me from her balcony. She glared. I knew that look. I'd seen it a lot in the first five years of my life. It never ended well.

I risked a look around the crowd, seeking the familiar spike of blue hair. I couldn't see it, he liked to hide in the shadows.

I got into the limo.

Carlos and Jay were already digging into the food in the bowls around the car. Carlos' face already smeared with a brown substance I could only assumed was the fabled chocolate we'd heard the adults wishfully dream about when they reminisced about the good old days, usually when they had a little too much of Dr Facilier's poorly distilled vodka.

I'd tried it once. It put me off alcohol for the rest of my life.

Dad had had a good laugh at the hangover and spent the day on his tambourine, almost splitting my head open, to teach me a lesson.

Jay hadn't been so deterred and quite happily stole a bottle or two from the Voodoo Man from time to time.

Evie was checking every angle of herself in a hand held mirror. I knew most of her collection. I hadn't seen that one before.

She saw my stare and smiled. "Mum's magic mirror." In the stories it had taken up an entire wall, I was not convinced and Evie saw it. "It's not what it used to be, okay. But mum says it'll do the job just the same."

"The job?"

"Getting the wand, of course. Getting our parents off the Isle."

Carlos nodded and tried, and failed, to speak through a mouthful of food. Whatever he tried to say Jay nodded in agreement, his mouth full of food as well.

Somehow my mother had roped my friends into her hair brained scheme. "Oh, that job."

The message she sent was clear. If I didn't get her the wand, I wasn't the only one who would be punished. I could protect myself from her, and I couldn't dad would. But I couldn't protect everyone, not from her. If I asked, dad would try, but he couldn't watch all four of us every hour of every day. Somehow, she would slip through.

_Friends were weakness_, that was what she had tried to teach me as a child. Now she was proving to me that she was right. In the worse way possible.

But dad's voice countered as the limo began to move.

_Protect your friends, your minions, and they will protect you. Anyone else just had to get out of your way._

I needed to protect my friends. No matter the cost.

* * *

We rolled towards the bridge.

And the straight drop into the ocean below.

"It's a trap."

We screamed.

We didn't fall.

I felt us passed through the barrier. Heat coursed through my veins. The fire that dad had promised.

I wanted to burn. The fire begged for release.

_Keep it in check._

Dad's voice echoed in my mind as easily as it echoed through the mine.

_A full-on burn and they'll figure out who, and what, you are._

I pushed the fire down, but I didn't let it go out.

I heard another voice. One that had whispered to me since I was a child.

_Mali._

_Mali._

The Ember.

Its magic finally free from the Isle's curse.

Fire and ember.

My father's gifts to me.

Mother was right; I was my father's daughter.

* * *

**A/N:I've always wondered what it would have been like for the VK's with magic like Mal and Uma to first step off the Isle and be exposed to their powers for the first time.**

**Personally one of my favourite Hades flashbacks. I can just imagine him dancing around in the mine. Let me know what you think.**


	6. Burn Bright

_**A/N: **__Some parts of this chapter are taken directly from the movie. The usual disclaimer: I don't own Descendants, I don't make money out of this etc etc._

* * *

_**Burn Bright**_

_Age 6_

"_Come out, come out wherever you are, little Mal."_

_I hid a giggle as Hades continued his prowl. If I did, he would find me._

_That wasn't the lesson._

_Going unnoticed was. Hiding was._

_Hades' lessons weren't painful like mother's and I wasn't punished when I failed. They were fun._

_I peeked through the gap in the stairs, watching the blue-haired man sneak around the mine. He moved deeper into the darkness, away from me. I was winning._

_Suddenly I was pulled out from under the stairs._

"_Found you, little dragon."_

_Sweeping me off the ground he began to tickle me._

"_Stop, dad, I'll burst."_

_We both stopped._

"_Dad," he smiled, "I like the sound of that."_

* * *

Present

Despite the screams that erupted before the gleaming bridge appeared before us it was a pleasant drive

Aka boring.

The streets were clean, all but paved with gold. No one slept in doorways. Everyone walked with their head held high, not plastered to the ground in fear of catching the wrong villain's eyes.

And the sun…

The sun streamed through the windows. I'd never seen it so bright, only hidden behind the constantly grey clouds of the Isle.

The sun made the fire want to rage as the sun's heat fuelled it.

It was why dad made his home underground, why he had ruled the Underworld. The continued exposure to the sun made the fire too hot. It made it burn too bright.

I pushed it back down.

_You are stronger than you know. Maybe even stronger than me._

I reached for something else buried deep inside; the spark I hadn't wanted to touch since I first felt it on the bridge. The spark of magic I had inherited from my mother.

I gripped the seat as fire and magic waged war inside of me. As much as I wanted the fire, to be my father's daughter, I let the magic in. I let it supress the fire, burning stronger under the sun's rays.

The magic won. At least for now. One day I would let the fire burn and all of Auradon, all of the Isle would know who I was.

Never Maleficent's daughter.

Never a child raised in hate.

One raised in love.

Hades' daughter.

One day we would shout it from the rooftops.

Together.

"Mal, you okay?" Evie reached for my hand but pulled back at the dying heat. Had she touched me mere moments before, she would have burned.

I ignored her worried glance. "Fine." And now that the battle was over, I really was.

"I think we're almost there." Carlos squashed another handful of biscuits into his mouth, then another. I wasn't entirely sure how he fitted it all in there but somehow, he did.

He was right, though. We could hear the fanfare as we continued to drive. A cheering crowd was gathering around the limo, pressing closer as we came to a stop.

Cheering. It was a new experience, a new feeling.

I wasn't sure I liked it.

I flew under the radar, the street rat daughter of the Mistress of Evil.

Sure, children ran away at the sight of me but it meant I was left alone. There were no eyes on me once they run.

Now I had hundreds of eyes trained on the limo waiting to what us VK's would do next.

Carlos and Jay ended up in a fight to see who could get out of the limo with their loot first. They both lost, tumbling out on the gravel pavement outside.

The crowd fell silent.

I winced. Ouch.

Evie west next, stepping out with all the grace and beauty of a princess.

Finally, I got out, surveying the gathered crowd.

Carlos and Jay continued to wrestle on the ground.

"You got everything else! Why do you want this?"

"'Cuz you want it."

I glanced around again. "Guys, we have an audience."

Both boys dropped their ill-gotten gains and pushed themselves off the ground, shoving each other once more before dusting themselves off.

Jay looked at the lady in blue standing at the front of the crowd. She was staring him down. "Just cleaning up."

"Leave it like you found it." Augh, I hated her sing-song voice. "And by that, I mean just leave it."

The boys picked up their loot and dropped it back in the limo. I doubted the woman noticed Jay pocket some of the small items and Carlos managing to hide some sweets.

The thief smiled sweetly at the woman. "Hello, foxy. The name's Jay."

She didn't look impressed. "Welcome to Auradon Prep. I'm Fairy Godmother, headmistress."

It couldn't be that easy. "_The_ Fairy Godmother. As in "Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo"?"

She nodded. "Bibbidi-bobbidi. You know it."

I look a step closer. "Yeah. I always wondered what it felt like for Cinderella when you just appeared, out of nowhere, with that sparkly wand and warm smile."

"Oh?" She blushed slightly.

"And that sparkling wand." Come on, woman, take the hint.

Instead she waved a dismissive hand. "That was a long time ago. And as I always say, "don't focus on the past or you'll miss the future.""

Thankfully the boy behind Fairy Godmother stepped forward, with a girl on his arm. "It's so good to finally meet you all. I'm Ben."

"Prince Benjamin." The girl interrupted. "Soon to be king."

I rolled my eyes as Evie slid forward. "You had me at prince. My mom's a queen, which makes me a princess."

Again, the girl spoke before the boy, Ben, could. "The Evil Queen has no royal status here and neither do you."

That hit Evie hard. She had been the only princess on the Isle for years, and that had been stripped from her with a few words.

The prince tried to save the situation. "This is Audrey."

"Princess Audrey." She corrected. "His girlfriend. Right, Bennyboo?"

I wanted to gag. Bennyboo. It had to be some sort of joke, right?

Fairy Godmother smiled, she seemed to think the conversation was actually going well. "Ben and Audrey are going to show you all around, and I'll see you tomorrow. The doors of wisdom are never shut." I cringed again at her high voice. "But the library hours are from 8:00 to 11:00." A small smile. "And as you may have heard, I have a little thing about curfews."

Ben stepped forward again. "It is so…so good to finally me…meet you all." Stammering his eyes were drawn to Carlos. "This is a momentous occasion, and one that I hope will go down in history… Is that chocolate?" A shake of his head as he snapped back to reality. "As the day our two peoples began to heal."

I had to stop this before it got really bad. "Or the day you showed four peoples were the bathrooms are."

A cringe and a smile, how did he do that at the same time? "A little bit over the top."

I could help but give a small smile in return. "A little bit more than a little bit."

"We'll so much for my first impression."

I'd had a lot of first meetings, this was surprisingly good.

The girl, Audrey, had been studying me throughout the conversation. "Hey! You're Maleficent's daughter, aren't you?" As much I wanted to, I didn't correct her. "Yeah, you know what? I totally do not blame you for your mother trying to kill my parents and stuff. Oh, my mum's Aurora. Sleeping…"

"Beauty! Yeah I've heard the name." I couldn't tell them truth, but I could get a couple of things straight. "But feel free to blame my mother though, she really is a bitch."

Shock. Even my friends were in shock.

Unfortunately, Fairy Godmother was still in ear shot. "We do not use that sort of language here, young lady. "

Young lady, I was many things but I certainly wasn't a lady. "I'm sorry, what word would you like me use? Insane? Maniacal? Or just plain evil? In fact," I reached into my pocket. "Just so you know how much I'm not like her. Here," I handed Fairy Godmother the spell book. "Put it in a museum or something, I really don't care." I really didn't.

She stared, first at me, then down at the book, and finally settling on me again. "Thank…Thank you."

"Whatever."

"Okay! How about a tour!" Ben saved me from any of Fairy Godmother's questions. "Yeah?" We started to walk. "Auradon Prep, originally built over 300 years and converted into a high school by father." As we approached a stature of the king, Ben clapped his hands.

The man turned into a beast.

Carlos screamed and jumped into Jay's arms.

Ben tried to reassure him. "Carlos, it's okay. My father wanted his statue to morph from beast to man to remind us that anything is possible."

"Does he shed much?"

"Yeah, mum won't let him on the couch."

How in Zeus' name did he manage to get another smile out of me?

* * *

A/N: If you have a specific request for a part of Mal's childhood you would like to see, feel free to review or pm me the request and I'll see what I can do.


	7. Melting Point

_**Melting Point**_

_Age 13_

"_This had to be the stupidest idea you've ever had and you've had some whoppers over the last couple of years."._

_Jay only smiled. "That's what makes it so fun." He poked me in the ribs. "You can chicken out if you want."_

"_Never." I refused to back down from a challenge. I picked up a sheet of metal. "Let's do this."_

_We'd been climbing over the roofs of the Isle for years but we learned quickly how to do it safely. We even slid down the more stable ones from time to time, but it was always controlled, we always knew exactly where we were going to land. It was usually a soft landing or a short trip._

_Now we stood at the very top od Castle-Down-The-Way, the home Evie shared with her mother._

"_Guys, let's just go down." Carlos spoke weakly, clinging to the top of the staircase._

"_We are going down." Jay grinned as he jumped out the window with his own sheet of metal._

"_Jay!" Evie ran to the window, trying to catch a glimpse of the falling thief._

_Taking a deep breath, I push her out of the way and threw myself out of the window after him._

_Only to pass a laughing Jay sitting just out of sight of the window._

_He hadn't gone down._

_And I was falling._

_The edge of the first roof was approaching._

_I gripped the metal so hard it dug into my palms, drawing blood._

_I flew over the edge._

_I screamed._

_And hit the next roof._

_And the next._

_The sheet of metal was the only thing keeping me from rolling down the tiled levels and no doubt breaking my neck in the process._

_One more level to go. One more level and I was safe. One more of level and I had survived._

_I gripped the metal even tighter, no longer feeling it cutting into my palms._

_I slid of the final level, letting go of the sheet I rolled as I hit the ground._

_I felt something pop, probably my shoulder, then something crack, a rib, a wrist or an ankle no doubt. I was sore all over, I couldn't isolate the injuries just yet._

_I rolled onto my back, taking in as much air as I could._

"_That was awesome."_

_I wanted to hit him. I wanted to strangle him. I wanted to bloody kill him._

_Once everything stopped hurting._

_Evie knelt next to me. "Are you okay?"_

_I groaned in response._

_Slipping an arm around my shoulder she tried to help me sit up._

_I bit back a scream as she brushed over my dislocated shoulder. "Stop. Stop. STOP!"_

_Evie let go, letting me lie back down._

"_Breathe," She insisted, "Just breathe."_

_Like I was going to do anything else._

"_I'll get help." Carlos ran before I could tell him not to._

_Not to my mother. Please don't get my mother. Anyone but her._

_Everything hurt. I wanted to cry. But I held it in, villains didn't cry._

_Dad. I wanted my dad._

"_Get up, girl." I knew that voice. I almost sobbed in relief._

_Dad._

"_Sir." I'd never seen Jay stand so straight._

"_I said 'get up, girl.' This is no place to die."_

"_I'm not dying, old man." Blood, I spat blood._

_He pulled me up by my good arm and looked me over. "Dislocated shoulder, twisted ankle and a couple of broken ribs. You'll live." A small smile touched his lips. "You learned a painful lesson, girl." He turned to Jay, and I panicked thinking about what dad was going to do to him, it was his idea after all. "Boy, give me the offending object."_

_Scampering away Jay returned with the piece of metal that had been my sled._

_Grabbing it of the terrified boy dad suddenly threw me over his shoulder._

"_Hey!"_

"_I'm sure your mother will have a few things to say about this."_

_He was joking right? He had to be joking._

_Evie and Jay went to follow but one good stare from dad and they froze. "Stay."_

_No one dared disobey the God of the Underworld._

* * *

_Dad dumped me on my own bed. "What were you thinking?"_

_I couldn't move. I honestly didn't know what I had been thinking. I decided the best course of action was to stay silent._

"_You could have been killed."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Sorry, Mal? I could have lost you. Do you know what I would do without you?"_

_I shook my head._

"_I would be the monster everyone thinks I am. I'd go mad on this gods forsaken island. You, Mal, you keep me sane."_

_I couldn't respond. How could I when he'd dumped so much at my feet._

_I tried to change the subject. "Don't call me girl."_

"_Don't call me an old man."_

"_You are old. You're a couple of thousand years old."_

_I managed to get a small smile out of him. The tension slipping away._

_Sighing he sat down at the foot of my bed he carefully slid the boot of my twisted ankle. He saw me flinch. "Sorry, little dragon."_

"_I'm not little." I was thirteen._

"_You'll always be my little dragon, my little demon, no matter how much you grow."_

_I dropped my head back onto my pillow as dad continued to treat my injuries. First, I studied the rock formations on the ceiling, anything to distract me from pain. When I had to roll over so that he could check that I hadn't managed to break anything in my spine, I studied the wall and the piece of metal that dad had brought home._

_A constant reminder of my stupidity._

_With the melted metal where I had gripped it too tight._

* * *

Present

"Wow. This place is so amaz…"

"Gross."

"I know, right? Amazingly gross." Evie corrected herself but I could see the spark in her eye. She absolutely loved it.

"I'm going to need some serious sunscreen." I closed the curtains. "That's much better."

The fire settled, denied the sun's heat.

I was used to the dark, both from the mine and constant grey sky of the Isle.

Evie sat on one of the beds before throwing herself back. "It's so soft."

I sat down on the other bed. She was right. It felt like I was sitting on a cloud.

I hated it.

Evie rolled onto her stomach. "I can't believe you gave up your mum's spell book. Do you know how useful that could have been?"

I reached into my bag, pulling out a stack of paper. "Don't worry, I copied down the important ones."

As much as I hated it, I couldn't deny that magic might be useful.

Desperate time might call for desperate measures.

Dad would laugh at the room. It certainly needed some redecorating. Both Fairy Godmother and Ben seemed to be willing to go above and beyond to make we settled in okay. Maybe some blue and black would make me like the room a little more.

"So," Evie interrupted my train of thought. "How are we going to get the wand?"

"We don't even know where it is."

"We could see what the boys found."

Nothing in the ten minutes since we left them in their own room. "Later." I wanted to put off finding the wand, and bowing to my mother's wishes, for as long as I could. "Let's them settle in first. We'll go later tonight."

Evie shrugged and rolled off the bed. The only one of us that had actually came with a proper bag, she began to unpack. Out came piles and piles of clothes, how she managed to fit it all in her bag I had no idea. There were shoes, dresses, pants and skirts, jackets, shorts and a large variety of tops.

I had the clothes I was wearing plus a spare jacket, three tops, two pairs of pants and the boots I had on.

We had the same colour scheme and size; Evie would happily lend me some of hers. Especially if it meant she could give me the make-over she'd been dying to give me for years.

She started to hang her outfits in the wardrobe. I dumped mine in a draw.

I lay down on the bed as Evie continued to unpack. I reached into my pocket, turning the Ember over in my hand.

_Mali._

_Mali._

It wanted to be used. It wanted to be unleashed.

_Mali._

_Mali._

I let go before its fire could fill my mind completely. I'd have to find a safe place later to let some steam, literally.

* * *

A/N: A short present-day chapter but some important things learned about both Mal and Hades. This is one of my favourite flashbacks


	8. Letting Off Steam

_**Letting Off Steam**_

_Age 10_

_I slipped into the mine, as quietly as I could and keeping to the shadows. Just like dad had taught me._

_All I had to do was make it to my room._

_Closer. One step at a time._

"_Mal, is that you?"_

"_Who else would it be?"_

_Stay in the den. Stay in the den. Please, just stay in the den._

"_Where have you…what happened?"_

_He'd left the den. Standing under an arch in the cave he looked me over._

_I must have looked like a mess. My hair was wild, my clothes torn. I was pretty sure I was sporting a black eye. I held my hand to my chest, trying to stop the pain emanating from my fingers._

_He took a step forward. "What happened?"_

_I knew the rage in his eyes. He was already plotting something horrible for whoever had hurt me. I tried to smile. "If it helps, I won."_

"_The 'you should see the other guy' excuse won't fly here."_

"_Claire Clayton and I had a disagreement."_

"_Clayton? The poacher's daughter?"_

_I nodded._

_Dad crossed his arms. "And what was your disagreement about?"_

_I cringed and muttered my response._

"_So I can hear you, Mal."_

"_She started it."_

"_Mal," A final warning. Not Mali, not little dragon or little demon. Mal._

"_She tried to break Carlos' arm because he was at the front of the line for lunch."_

"_Where were the teachers?"_

"_Egging us on. Mother Gothell and Judge Frollo were even making bets." A typical day at Dragon Hall. "They applauded her wickedness."_

"_And you?"_

"_They like the fighting but because I did it to protect someone and for revenge, they were somewhat split on whether or not to punish me."_

"_Did they?"_

_I shrugged. "They gave me detention but I didn't go."_

_A smile. "That's my girl."_

_The praise for skipping detention would more than make up for protecting someone. I'd be extra late tomorrow, just to be sure._

_Dad sighed. "Come with me."_

_I obeyed._

"_Sit."_

_I sat on his throne. The only person besides him who could._

"_Hand." He inspected my fingers. "Three broken, next time hit with your thumb on the outside." He looked up at me. "And for what it's worth, I'm proud of you for standing up for your friend."_

* * *

Present

Carlos was fighting a man on the tv when Evie and I arrived in the boy's room and Jay was sorting through a pile of ill-gotten gains on his bed.

"Jay, what are you doing?"

"It's called stealing."

"Really? I've never heard of such a thing."

Jay went with the joke. "Well, Mal. It's like buying whatever I want, except it's free."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Okay. So, you could do that, or you could leave all of this here and pick it up when we free everybody."

"Everybody?"

I nodded to Evie. "Everybody." If I had to free my mother to save my friends then dad would be getting out too.

"You sound like your mum."

I spun to face Carlos. Speaking through clenched teeth. "Never say that again."

The fire begun to build. I was not my mother.

"Whatever." He turned back to his game. "Die, suckers! Jay, come check this out. Man. It's awesome."

He dismissed me. How dare he dismiss me.

_Mali._

_Mali._

I hadn't brought the Ember with me but I could still hear it.

_Mali._

He dismissed me.

He. Dismissed. Me.

The console exploded.

Carlos threw himself to the floor. "What the hell?!"

Evie ran over to him. "You okay?"

Carlos pushed himself to his feet. "Fine." He looked at the console. "Guess they cheaped out on the villain kids."

The fire settled. Boys and their toys.

"Guys! Do I have to remind you what we're all here for?" Evie tried to take charge.

That wasn't going to happen. "Fairy Godmother, blah, blah, blah. Magic wand, blah, blah, blah. You heard her; she doesn't use it anymore. It's probably somewhere really secure. So people, exactly like us, don't steal it."

Jay grinned. "I'm always up for a challenge." His grin reminded me of the time he threw himself out of Evie's window.

I wouldn't be egged on into following he this time.

I was in charge. They needed to be reminded of that.

"I say we wait." Mother said we had to get the wand, she never said when.

"But that means we have to go to school tomorrow," Jay wined.

"Know your enemy, right? They actually want to teach us. Imagine what we could learn." Another way to get dad off the Isle while still keeping my mother trapped inside.

Jay slid closer to me. "Brains and beauty."

"Shut up."

Evie grabbed me by the elbow. "I don't think waiting is a good idea."

"Good thing you're not in charge then."

She shrank back, I'd hurt her but she wouldn't question me, or my plan again.

* * *

_Mali._

_Mali._

The Ember continued to call to me as I tried to sleep on the cloud of a bed. It hadn't been this loud since I first held it as a child.

_Mali._

_Mali._

I pushed myself out of bed, pausing to check that Evie's soft snores remained the same.

She hadn't woken up.

Quietly I retrieved the Ember from its hiding place, between the wooden slats of the large bed and the mattress.

Good thing I wasn't a princess, the Ember was defiantly bigger than a pea.

It was warm in my hands; it had never been this hot before.

Checking Evie was still asleep, she was, I snuck out of the room.

Auradon Prep was creepy after dark.

I kinda liked it.

I moved in the shadows across the campus, through the hall and across the tourney field. There was a forest at its edge. No one would find me there.

The fire inside continued to build.

The Ember begged for release.

The forest probably wasn't the best place to play with fire but it was the only secluded place on campus. A forest fire could be caused by a number of things, me playing with fire couldn't.

I finally found a clearing in the forest's heart. It would do.

I took the Ember out. It was burning now. Anyone else would have blistered their hands but it didn't touch me.

_Mali._

_Mali._

For the first time I answered it.

_Yes?_

_Burn._

I obeyed.

Instead of quashing the fire, I quashed the magic. Even without the sun the fire roared to life.

_Burn._

It started in my gut and spread through my veins, reaching to my fingertips and spreading to my toes.

_Burn._

The fire burst forth. I felt it in my head first, my hair bursting into flames as dad said his once did. It spread across my shoulders and down my arms. For the first time I could study it. Vivid blue, like the fire that constantly burned in the heart of the mine.

It was beautiful.

_Burn._

The Ember wanted more.

For the first time I understood; I hadn't even tapped into its powers yet. The fire was all me.

I reached into the heart of the Ember, feeling its power follow the fire through my veins.

The air simmered with heat.

_Burn._

"Hello?"

I pulled the fire back in. Quashing it just in time.

I could feel the Ember's rage. To get so close and still be denied.

_Mali._

Its voice was angry. I pushed it back.

_I am the daughter of Hades, your master; you will obey me and you will stay silent._

It didn't say another word.

"Hello?" The voice came again. This time it was followed by a girl stepping into the clearing. She stopped when she saw me. "Oh, hi."

"Hi," I crossed my arms. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

She crossed her arms too. "Shouldn't you?"

"Breaking rules is kinda our thing. What's your excuse?"

The girl gestured to a sword at her side. "Practice."

I was slightly intrigued. I raised an eyebrow. "For?"

"The fencing team is a boys' club. I need to show them from the beginning I'm better than any of them if I even have a chance of joining."

"Sword fighting?" I had some experience with it, mostly from taking on Uma's and Harriette Hook's crews. I could hold my own.

The girl offered me her hand. "I'm Lonnie." She spoke as if that meant something. "Mulan's daughter? No?" I shook my head and she shrugged. "Mum fought in the war; I want to prove myself just as good."

"Now, that I understand." For the first five years of my life all I wanted to do was prove myself to my mother. I'd never had to prove myself to dad, he loved me anyway. Although, from time to time I proved myself just because I could.

"You're one of the villain kids, right? Maleficent's daughter?"

"Mal," I spoke through gritted teeth.

_Mali._

_Shut up._

"So, Mal, what are you doing out here so late?"

"None of your business."

"Fine." She held her hands up in surrender. "Just don't let Fairy Godmother catch you. Not on your first night."

"Thanks for the advice."

"Anytime."

She smiled. "I'll leave you to…whatever it is you're doing. I'll see you in class." With a wave she was gone.

Did I just make a friend?


	9. Seeing Red

_**Seeing Red**_

_Age 8_

_(Inspired by the requests of __NuvolaTempestosa__ and __XcrimsondragonX__)_

_I struggled with the brush. I couldn't reach the back of my head. I loved my hair; over the last two years it had started to turn blue. Darker than dad's but I didn't care, it was one less tie to my mother. I could reach the bottom of it when I pulled it over my shoulder but I couldn't reach the back of my scalp._

_Finally, I sighed. Defeated again. It looked like I was wearing my hair out again._

"_What's wrong, Little Dragon?" Dad leaned against the wall, watching my struggle._

"_I wanted to do something different."_

_He sat down on the step. "Come here." I put the brush down. "Bring it here too."_

_I sat down on the step below him. He held out his hand and I handed him the brush. He twirled his finger and I turned around, so my back was to him._

"_What do you want? A bun? A braid?"_

_Evie had a pretty braid as a crown but I wanted the real thing. "A braid."_

"_Braid it is."_

_He started to brush my hair._

_I could almost hear his smile. "I used to do this for my sister, you know?"_

_I went to turn to face him but he stopped me from moving my head. "You have a sister?"_

"_I have several. Brothers too"_

"_Where are they?"_

_A brief paused then the brushing continued. "Far away from here on Olympus, but one day, my little demon, I will take you to meet them. They will love you."_

"_What are they like?"_

_A small chuckle. "My sister, Hesta, is the heart of family, when she left the inner circle a part of us died. Poseidon is as temperamental as the seas he commands. It was Demeter's hair I used to brush and braid, she always smiled, and loved to have flowers braided in. I still remember the day her smile died and I hated that I was the cause of it."_

_I was tempted to ask what happened but I loved the story too much to interrupt him. If I did, he might stop._

"_Hera came next, stern but fair. She tried to take Hesta's place in our circle but it wasn't the same. Zeus… Zeus was the youngest, the favourite." Bitter, dad sounded bitter._

_I reached back to take his free hand. "You're my favourite."_

_He put down the brush and kissed the back of my head. "And you're mine, little dragon."_

_He started to braid._

"_Do they know you're here?"_

_A pause of barely a second. "They sent me here."_

_I waited for him to continue. He didn't. "Mother hurt people. Did you hurt people?"_

"_Yes, but I would take it back if I could."_

"_What did you do?"_

"_I reached too high, Mali. I was a god; I should have been content with the lot I drew. Now all I want is to just go back to the way it was. To go back to the Underworld." He finished the braid. "With you by my side."_

_I turned to face him. "I'd like that."_

_He pulled me into one of his rare hugs. "You have always been a princess to me, but there you will rule."_

* * *

Present

"If someone hands you a crying baby, do you, A, curse it? B, lock it in a tower? C, give it a bottle? Or D, carve out its heart?" I still hated Fairy Godmother's voice. "Evie?"

My friend's hand was hesitantly up in the air. "What was the second one again?"

The headmistress took a deep breath, in and out, trying not to lose her cool. "Okay, anyone else? Mal?"

I'd been listening but not exactly paying attention, half asleep as I sketched a picture of the mine. Home. "C, give it a bottle."

Fairy Godmother smiled. "Correct. Again."

"You're on fire, girl."

Not literally, I hoped. I shrugged at Jay. "Just pick the one that doesn't sound like any fun."

"Oh." It finally sank into the others.

A girl, a younger version of Fairy Godmother in-fact, hurried into the room, head down, refusing to meet anyone's eye.

Fairy Godmother smiled. "Well, hello, dear one." I cringed, it was like she was taking to an infant, not a teenage girl.

Still refusing to meet any eyes the girl handed Fairy Godmother a clipboard. "You…You need to sign off on early dismissal for the coronation."

Signing the board. Fairy Godmother smiled, first at the girl then at us. "Everyone here remembers my daughter, Jane?"

"Mum, no!"

"It's okay, Jane, this is everyone."

A wave, an awkward curtsy. "Hi. That's okay, don't mind me. As you were." She fled the room, eyes plastered on the floor.

"Let's continue…"

* * *

I took the Ember out of my locker. I thought it would have been safe there and it probably was but it didn't feel the same without it in my pocket.

_Keep it with you, keep it safe and let it keep you safe_.

I had a promise I had to keep. I decided I wouldn't let it out of my sight or my reach again.

"Those kids are trouble." I didn't know the boy, but I hated him already.

"Bye, Mal." Evie heard and didn't want to get involved, she had a chemistry class to get to.

"Bye." Permission to go and to let me deal with it myself, I didn't feel like running of to my History of Heroes class.

"Come on, Chad. Give them a chance." Ben had just given me a direction for my anger. Chad.

Chad.

Audrey.

My list was slowly growing.

"Oh. No offense, Bennybear." Augh. "But you're just too trusting. Look, I know your mum fell in love with the big nasty beast who turned out to be a prince. But with my mum, the evil fairy was just an evil fairy. Her mother."

I slammed my locker. They all jumped. They knew I had heard them.

Ben spoke softly. "I think you're wrong about them. I'll see you later." Leaving his friends behind, he slid up beside me. "Hey! How was your first day?"

"Just great."

He didn't look convinced. The prince studied the artwork on front of my locker; LIVE EVIL surrounded by blue flames. "You should really think about taking this talent off the locker and into art class. I could, uh, sign you up. What do you think?"

I stifled a laugh. "Way to take all the fun out of it."

"Oh, Bennyboo."

I looked over his shoulder to see Audrey waving. "I think you're being summoned."

Suddenly Ben sighed, in annoyance? He obviously wasn't happy about being summoned, at being called Bennyboo, Bennybear, or anything of the sort. Especially when it was called out for everyone to hear. "She can wait."

"Whatever."

Audrey made no secret of her next words, her voice was sweet, her words were not. "You've been gone so long." Less than a minute, what a drama queen, princess, whatever. "Has she put you to sleep? Just like her mother did to mine."

I saw red.

I. Was. Not. My. Mother.

Fire.

I saw blue.

The fire raged against the magic. My dad trying to vanquish my mother inside of me.

Fire.

I gripped the Ember in my pocket.

_Mali._

_Mali._

That shrill laugh.

Fire.

I. Was. Not. My. Mother.

_Mali._

_Burn._

Audrey's locker exploded.

Blue fire jumped out, throwing her and Chad to the ground.

Ben ran over to help his girlfriend to her feet. "Are you okay?"

She didn't even answer him before whirling around to face me. "What the hell did you do?"

What had I done? First Carlos' game, now Audrey's locker.

"She didn't do anything." I was shocked that Ben jumped to my defence. "She was with me."

"Maybe she did it with her mind." Like Audrey it seemed Chad would take any excuse to blame me.

I did it, but that wasn't the point.

I found a loophole. Technically I wouldn't be lying. "Magic requires words." Technically I hadn't used magic. "Bibbiti-bobbidi-boo and all that." A gave her a wicked smile. "Would you like me to demonstrate?"

"She didn't say anything, I promise." Ben had a protective arm around Audrey but his eyes, and his worry, were on me. "Mal didn't do this."

Fairy Godmother hurried towards us, saving me from anymore of the princess' accusations. "Bibbiti-bobbidi, what happened?"

An accusing point. "She blew up my locker."

"Did not."

"Did to."

"Ladies." The headmistress tried to keep the peace, she turned to me. "Mal?"

"I didn't blow up her bloody locker." I crossed my arms. "But go ahead and blame me. That's what you do, isn't it? Blame villains for all your problems."

"Mal." Fairy Godmother spoke softly, almost kindly. "That's not what I meant."

"It never is." I hit my locker with an open palm, taking my anger out with a slap rather than with the fire. "I've got to get to class."

I must have looked pissed because everyone jumped out of my way. I held back another wicked smile, at least some things never changed.

_Mali._

_Mali._

_Burn._

_Burn it all down._

* * *

_A/N: One review was concerned about Frollo being in charge of children. Creepy, yes. Wrong, yes. But I'm basing it on the prequel novel _The Isle of the Lost _where Frollo, Gothel and Facilier are teachers at the Isle school, Dragon Hall_


	10. How Times Change

_**How Times Change**_

_Age 9_

_(Inspired by the request of __JEN-M)_

_I wasn't my fault I got caught in the storm._

_Cruella didn't like it when Carlos had friends over but the Evil Queen was entertaining and Jafar had already kicked us out. The mine certainly wasn't an option. That was the one thing dad wouldn't budge on. Even for me._

_No one could know._

_He'd been drilling that single rule into me for four years._

_Carlos' room was a windowless nook at the back of his mother's closet. He didn't have much. He'd started with a mattress and a thin blanket, but Jay and Evie kept bringing him things they were 'throwing out'. Carlos now had a pillow, a number of thick blankets, a set of sheets and smell collection of nick-knacks that he could call his own._

_Cruella didn't like us there; it took time away from Carlos' duties but if we stayed quiet, she usually something to entertain herself._

_In the heart of Hell Hall we didn't hear the rain start, and without windows we didn't see it. We didn't see it grow worse and worse until it was lashing the streets with gale force winds. When we were finally ready to leave and noticed the rain I should have stayed at Carlos', but I thought I could make it._

_That's why I was stuck in bed with a cold._

_I'd never seen dad so worried. He checked on me constantly, made sure the fire raged and force fed me soup, I knew by now not to ask what was in it._

_Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. "Sit down, you're making me tired just looking at you."_

_That got his attention and he sat down next to my bed. "Sorry, but both little dragons and little demons don't do well in the cold."_

_I shivered; he was certainly right about that. "What about you?"_

"_I don't get sick."_

"_Even here?"_

"_Even here, Mali, even here."_

"_So, you'll stay with me?"_

"_For as long as you want me." He smiled. "Forever and a day if need be."_

_I snuggled deeper into my blankets. "Tell me about Olympus and the Underworld." I wanted to know what freedom looked like._

_Dad's smile turned sad. "Olympus is always sunny and covered in gold. Demeter makes sure the flowers are always in bloom, while Poseidon makes all the fountains flow." It sounded beautiful, even better than Auradon. "But I much prefer the Underworld. Everyone thinks it's a dark and gloomy place." He leant closer. "But I'll tell you a secret, little demon, it's not. I just tell everyone that so they leave me be."_

_I leant forward in awe. "What's it really like?"_

"_It's beautiful, Mal, I can't wait for you to see it. Elysium, the final resting place of heroes, is as stunning as Olympus. The Asphodel Meadows is where most people go. It's not wonderful but neither is life on earth." His smile finally died. "Tartarus is where the truly evil go. It's what everyone thinks the whole Underworld is like, what some people call hell. That's what people don't understand; there is no heaven, no hell. There is only the Underworld."_

"_Tartarus. Is that where I'll go?" I was wicked after all._

_Dad shook his head. "You'll be with me, Mali, and we will rule it all."_

"_Dad?"_

"_Yeah?"_

"_Why were you sent here? You said you regret it." The sliver of information had stayed with me, villains didn't regret._

_He sat back. "Are you sure you want to know?"_

"_Yes." I wanted to know everything._

"_I was a sucker for a love story." The smile returned. "A girl named Magara came to me, her love had died and she wanted him back." He leant forward again. "One thing you must remember, Mal, is that nothing is free, even if looks like it, everything comes with price." Dad sat back again. "A soul for a soul, that was the price I demanded. His life for hers."_

"_You killed her?"_

_He shook his head. "I never kill. I bargain for souls, his life for a life of servitude from her. She gladly paid."_

"_And they sent you here for that?"_

_Dad sighed. "No. Years before, my brother Zeus had a son, Hercules. Fate decreed that he would destroy me. I acted. I cast him down from Olympus, cursing him to a mortal life." I went to asked again but he shook his head. "I wasn't sent here for that either. Over the centuries I had grown unhappy with my lot, the joke of my family, stuck in the underworld while they thrived on their golden mountain. I turned against my brother, against my family, I sought to strike them down. But as prophesied Hercules returned, and with Magara by his side, he cast me down as I had him."_

"_You didn't make her give up her soul and they were the ones that laughed at you and they cast you down first." I took his hand. "You did what was best for you."_

_He squeezed my hand. "And if I hadn't, I wouldn't have you, little dragon, and you are worth all the punishments the gods dare throw at me."_

* * *

Present

I turned the stone over in my hand as I lazed on the bed. Had the explosion come from me or the Ember. Maybe both.

Evie burst into the room; I pocket the Ember just in time.

"I heard what happened. Are you okay?"

"Fine." Shaken but fine.

"I have to ask…"

"I didn't start the fire." I hated to lie to her but she couldn't know the truth. No one could.

Evie huffed as she sat on her bed. "I wouldn't blame you of you did."

I rolled over onto my side to face her. "What happened?"

"I met a prince." I expected her to be gushing. She wasn't.

"And?"

She threw herself back. "He's handsome and he's charming. He has a big castle." Exactly the kind of boy the Evil Queen wanted for her daughter.

"But?"

"He's an idiot. Augh."

"Wouldn't be the first time you've dated. Remember Spare?"

The Queen of Hearts had actually named his sons Heir and Spare. As close to a prince Evie had ever been able to get on the Isle.

"Don't," she cringed. "Not my brightest idea."

"So, this prince?

"Chad. Prince Charming Jr."

Audrey's moron friend. "That guy's a prince?" Of course, he was, who around us wasn't.

Evie nodded. "Cinderella's son." A small smile touched her lips. "Doug says he got all of the charm and none of the brain."

"Doppy's son?"

A blush spread across Evie's cheeks. "Yeah."

"You like him?"

She threw a pillow at me. "Shut up."

"And this prince?"

"I'll think about it."

On the Isle Evie would have jumped at the chance to date a prince, but the longer we stayed in Auradon the more we all changed.

Carlos and Jay had both been sent to the tourney field, to participate in a _team _sport. Augh.

And me…

The fire and magic weren't the only things that had changed within me.

Ben.

I could take care of myself but I couldn't deny that my heart had skipped a beat when he jumped to my defence.

"Oh," Evie sat up. "I found out something about the wand."

I didn't bother to sit up. "Oh?"

"It's in a museum but it will be brought out for the coronation."

Ben's coronation.

"When is it again?"

"A month," Evie answered after a moment.

A month, that brought me some time.

Evie came over to sit on my bed. "Do we just grab it out of her hands?"

"We'll think of something."

The coronation would no doubt be televised. I dreaded to think what my mother would do to my friends if she saw us so close to what and we didn't act.

I had a month.

I would come up with something.

I would have to come up with something.

There was a knock at the door.

I looked at Evie, wondering if she was expecting someone.

She shook her head.

I shrugged. "Come in."

The girl from the forest opened the door. "Hi."

I sat up. "Lonnie, right?"

"Yep."

"What can I do for you, Lonnie?"

"I was hoping for a favour." A favour, she had to be kidding. "And I know you hate us, and, well, you're evil."

"A great way to ask for a favour."

"Did you guys learn to fight on the Isle?"

"Ew," Evie looked like she would be sick. It was an act, though. Evie could hold her own against the best of Uma's lackies. "That is so not lady like."

I looked from Evie back to Lonnie. "Fists or swords?"

"Either." A smile spread across her face. "Both?"

"Both." After I broke my fingers dad made sure I could rough house with the best them.

"Can you be my sparring partner?"

Sparring partner? "Isn't there someone else?" Anyone else.

"Until I can beat the boys none of them would even think about training with me. And the girls," she risked a side glance at Evie, "are you…you know."

I stood up and crossed my arms. "What do I get out of it?"

"A big screw you to all the pampered princes and princesses?" Now she was speaking my language. "And I'll pay you thirty bucks a lesson."

"Fifty."

"Forty."

"Fine."

She held out some notes. "An advance on our first lesson."

"Where and when?"

"Tonight? Same time and place as last time?"

"Sounds good."

Lonnie head back through the door, waving over her shoulder. "See you tonight."

Evie turned to me after the door closed behind the warrior. "Same time and place as last time?"

I shrugged. "I snuck out, she did too."

"You snuck out?"

"Curfews aren't exactly my thing."

Evie smiled. "I'm surprised it took you so long to find a rule to break. Just don't get caught. It was your plan to get them to trust us."

"I never get caught."

* * *

A/N: I always thought that everything was a bit rushed in the movie, Ben and Mal, the coronation etc so I spread it out a little more. That's why there is a month until the coronation.


	11. The Price of Love

_**The Price of Love**_

_Age 10_

_(Inspired by the request of __boniiitasse__)_

_The vender didn't even try to chase me, he was used to having his wares stolen. What did he expect on the Isle of the Lost, a place where no one paid for anything if they could avoid it? Even without the pursuit running away was half the fun. It wasn't even that big of a score. Just enough to be entertaining. I looked over by shoulder as I ran, just to be sure._

_I hit someone. Then I hit the ground._

"_Retched child."_

_I knew those words. I knew that voice._

_Mother._

_I looked up. She hadn't changed in five years, her glare still sent chills down my spine._

_I expected her to grab me by the collar and drag me back to her castle._

_Only she didn't._

"_Scram." That was all she said._

_I moved and she kept walking._

_I shouldn't've cared. I hadn't seen in her in five years, she hadn't come looking for me._

_I shouldn't've cared._

_Only I did._

_She was my mother and part of me still wanted her to love me, to want me, to be proud of me._

_With her words she had shattered that last shred of hope that had existed for five years and finally it died._

_With it part of me was gone._

_I missed that shred of innocence more than I had ever missed her._

_But I had dad, he welcomed me home with a smile and a laugh at the can of beans I had stolen._

_I couldn't tell him. I wouldn't. He loved my innocence and prided himself on protecting it for as long as possible._

_I couldn't tell him that that was day it finally died._

* * *

Present

I flicked through my collection of papers.

I wasn't really looking at any of my mother's spells and potions but we were meant to planning our wand heist and had to play my part, or at least look like I was.

Carlos was lying on Evie's bed, stroking a dog named Dude. It was kind of nice; Cruella had drilled a hatred and fear of dogs into her son's brain for years. In fact, she'd made him afraid of everything, even his own shadow. I'd never seen Carlos so happy and content.

"Yo-ho-ho!" Jay burst into the room.

Dud got spooked and jumped off Carlos. "Hey!"

"What are you wearing?" Of course, Evie was the first to notice Jay's new clothes.

"You like?" He did a turn. "Made the tourney team."

"Team?" I couldn't help but laugh. "You on a team? Never thought I'd see the day."

"I'm the fist."

"What…?" There was a knock on the door. "Hold that thought."

Ben.

Ben was at my door. "Hi."

"Hey, Mal. I didn't see you guys this afternoon. I just wanted to check that you were okay, after… after what happened with Audrey?"

"You mean when she accused me of blowing up her locker?"

Carlos sat up. "You did what?"

"Way to go, Mal."

I glared at Jay. "I didn't _do_ anything." Lying to my friends made me feel terriable, minions could be lied to easily. Friends, not so much. I turned back to Ben. "We're fine, thanks."

Ben put his hand on the door to stop me from closing the door on him. "I was also wondering if you had any questions or anything… That…you need."

"Not that I know of and if we did, we'd do as your girlfriend suggested and ask Doug."

"She's not my girlfriend."

I stopped myself from pushing the door into his face. "What?"

"Audrey and I broke up. She was paranoid and clingy and…and…"

"And what Bennyboo?"

He smiled. "Exactly."

Oh, that smile. "Well, if you want to talk don't come to me." I had an idea. "Wait, is it, um, true that we all get to go to your coronation?"

"Yeah, the whole school goes."

Evie squealed. "And I have nothing to wear, of course, I'll have to start sewing now if I want to get it done on time. I'll make something for you too, Mal. Oh, this is so exciting."

I let her ramble, focusing on Ben instead. "That is so exciting. Do you think it's possible for the four of us stand in the front row, next to Fairy Godmother, just we can soak up all the goodness?" Augh. I hated myself. I hated this act; it reminded my way too much of Audrey.

The prince's smile fell. "I wish you could. Up front it's just me, mum, dad and my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend?"

"Well, if I had one."

Was that an offer? Was he flirting? With me?

I did not do flirting. The only kiss I'd ever had was from Jimmy Le Fou playing spin the broken bottle at the Gaston twin's thirteenth birthday party.

"Okay. Thanks, bye."

I shut the door in Ben's face.

I. Did. Not. Do. Flirting.

Evie looked up from her fabric swatches. "You know what you need to do, right?"

Unfortunately, I did. I lent back against the door. "It's time that Bennyboo got himself a new girlfriend."

Evie's hand shot up. "I volunteer."

"I don't." Jay threw himself on Evie's bed, forcing Carlos into the air before slamming back down again.

"I don't think you're his type."

Jay brushed a hand through his long dark hair. "I'm everybody's' type."

"That leaves you and me, Mal."

"You can have him."

"Actually…"

"What?"

"I think you should have him."

"What?! I don't do boyfriends. Even ones under a love spell." I sat back down on my bed.

Evie frowned. "Why a love spell?"

"Why else would a prince, soon to be king, go out with me. You," I smiled at my friend. "You could have any guy in the world. But me…"

"Mal, don't you see," she came over and took my hand, "he's half in love with you already."

"What?"

"Haven't you seen the way he looks at you? He dumped his girlfriend, who he's apparently been with since they were kids, on the very day she loses it at you."

"We've known each other less than a week."

"Read the history books, Mal." Evie's grin spread wider than I'd ever seen it. "True love comes with a single glance, a single word, even a single thought."

"This is not true love and we don't get the happily ever after."

"What if we did? What if that's why we were brought to Auradon, because we finally get to have our happy ending."

I pulled my hand away. "Ben is not my happy ending." My happy ending was dad and I traveling the world, and the underworld, together.

"I won't take him. It's up to you."

I crossed my arms. "Fine, but we're doing the love spell."

Just to be sure.

* * *

A/N: Due to some family issues I'm not going to be posting as much, I do have a couple of chapters in reserve and am hoping to be able to post every three or four days but no guarantees. I wouldn't mind some more flashback suggestions though, they distract me from my problems for a bit.


	12. A Touch of Magic

_**A Touch of Magic**_

_Age 14_

_(Inspired by several requests. This was probably the most awkward flashback I've had to write. Unfortunately, I bowed to pressure. I think I've had a dozen requests around this topic. There are somethings, however, I'm not comfortable writing about.)_

_(WARNING: Adultish content)_

_Dad was lounging on his throne was I came home from school and turned off the old record._

_I crossed my arms. "What do even do all day while I'm at school?"_

"_Stuff."_

"_Like?"_

"_Grown up stuff." I pulled a face and he returned the favour. "Nothing like that."_

"_Good, dads aren't meant to do stuff like that."_

_He swung his legs off the arms of the throne. "And by stuff like that you mean?"_

_I cringed. "Please don't make me say it."_

"_Mal," dad sighed and patted the now empty arm rest. "Sit, we need to have a talk."_

_I hesitated before talking the offered seat, dad and I never had formal talks, just talks. "What's up?"_

_Dad looked like he was going to be sick but he spoke anyway. "Mal, you're fourteen now and almost a grown woman. Back in Ancient Greece you be an adult at fifteen."_

_I didn't like where this was going._

"_As a teenager you are going through lots of changes…and you're going to start having certain urges."_

_I jumped up. "Dad, stop. I don't need to hear this. Remember the period talk." That had been an even more awkward conversation, especially seeing as I had awful cramps at the time._

"_Mal, sit down."_

"_Not if we're having THE talk."_

_Dad frowned. "You know about the talk?"_

"_Evie said it was awkward conversation your parents have with you. She wouldn't tell me what it was but it doesn't sound fun."_

"_It isn't." He seemed to think about his answer. "Well, it can be."_

_This was going from bad to worse._

"_Sit down, Mal."_

_Taking a deep breath, I retook my seat. "Fine." I may as well get it over and done with. "I take it you're going to tell me where babies come from."_

"_I thought you didn't know what the talk was."_

"_I know the outcome, just not the how."_

"_Well when a man and a woman love each…"_

"_Bull, you and mother didn't love each other."_

"_Mal." A warning._

"_Fine, I'll listen."_

_It was the most awkward conversation I've ever had._

* * *

Present

I had to give it to her, Lonnie was good with a sword. Excellent, in fact. She didn't need me to teach her anything. In fact, she taught me a few things. All she really needed was someone to spar against.

The clash of our swords echoed around the forest.

Lonnie stopped. "I've never trained against another sword out here before; someone might hear us."

I had an idea. A really, really stupid idea. "Do you have anything against magic?"

"What kind of magic?"

I hesitantly pulled on the string of magic I had inherited from my mother.

"_Help us in our act of defiance._

_Let our weapons strike in silence."_

I hit Lonnie's sword.

Nothing.

Lonnie hit my sword.

Still nothing.

"Cool."

I had to admit the rush of magic was almost as exhilarating as the fire's.

Almost.

I pushed the magic back down until its only job was keeping the fire in check.

I help up my sword. "Again."

* * *

Lonnie and I were sweating by the time we called it a night. We were both battered and bruised, but in a good way. It reminded me if my sparing lessons with dad, he never held back and I never asked him to.

Lonnie picked the swords up. "Next time I'll beat you."

I worked out a kink in my neck. "Day after tomorrow?" I needed some time to recover.

"Sounds good."

"Next time," I suggested, "we bring water. Lots and lots of water." Our supply tonight hadn't been nearly enough.

Lonnie to the far side of the clearing. "There's a lake over there if you want to cool off. The teachers can hear the showers running. So, unless you want to wait until morning that's your best bet."

"And you?"

"They know what I do."

"And they turn a blind eye." Double standards much.

Lonnie on shrugged. "I don't get into trouble and I don't get in anyone's way."

"What makes you think I'll get into trouble?"

She only raised an eyebrow in response.

"Fine." Trouble was kind of my thing. "I'll see you later."

"You don't want to walk back together?"

"I kinda feel like finding some trouble."

* * *

I didn't go looking for trouble. It usually found me all on its own. Instead I took Lonnie's advice and headed to the lake.

Dad had tried, and failed, to teach me to swim. We weren't made for the water.

I found the shallowest spot I could. I was freezing as I lowered myself in.

_Burn._

_Well, that's a stupid idea._

Water would just smother the flames.

Instead I just drew on the heat, not the flames. The water began to bubble and steam.

Each time I reached for the fire I was gaining more and more control. Soon I wouldn't need the magic to keep it in check.

Soon I would be free to do with it as I pleased.

Soon I would be free to be me.

* * *

A/N: My shortest chapter but Mal is finally starting to control both sides of her power.


	13. Hear Me Roar

_**Here Me Roar**_

_Age 11_

"_You have to learn this stuff, Mal."_

"_Why?" I wined; I didn't want to do anything to do with her._

"_It's a part of who you are, Mali, however much you don't like it." Dad had more patience than I would have had in the same situation._

"_But there's no magic here."_

_He took me by the shoulders, sinking down to my level. "One day, little demon, we will be free and both fire and magic will fill your soul, you need to make sure it doesn't overwhelm you."_

"_Cool, calm and collected. Breath, don't let the fire take control. I know the drill."_

"_This isn't about my fire; this is about your mother's magic."_

"_I don't want anything of hers."_

"_You might not have a choice."_

_Hope rushed through me. "You mean, I might not get it."_

_Dad took a seat. "We won't know until you cross the barrier. You might be my daughter; you might be your mother's or you might be both."_

"_I'm your daughter."_

_Dad smiled. "Powers or not, you will always be my daughter." Picking me up he threw me over his shoulder and span around. "My little dragon." He set my back down on the ground and gave me stern look that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Again."_

_I couldn't say no to dad, despite the complaining I would always do as he asked:_

"Magic from my very core

Take this toy and make it roar."

_Nothing happened._

_Not that either of us expected anything. Not while we were trapped beneath the barrier. Had we been in Auradon the toy lion should have sprung to life._

_Not here._

"_Again."_

* * *

Present

My mother's recipe didn't seem that hard. We were only missing one ingredient.

"All right. It says we still need one tear, and I never cry." A slight lie, but only ever with dad. Not in public, not even with my friends. Villains didn't cry.

Carlos looked around the kitchen. "Let's just chop up some onions."

Nope. I shook my head. "It says we need one tear of human sadness. I'm pretty sure this is the best love potion, so we need to follow it exactly."

"A tear's a tear."

Before I could remind Jay of what I just said Evie spoke up. "That's not true. They both have antibodies and enzymes, but an emotional tear has more protein-based hormones than a reflex tear."

I smiled. "Listen to you." Evie had always been discouraged from learning anything other than how to cook, clear or sew. In Auradon she was thriving.

Jay puffed out his chest. "Yeah, I knew that."

"Did not."

"Yeah, I did."

"No, you didn't." I shut Jay up before his and Carlos' argument woke the whole school.

"So much for going to bed." I looked up to see Lonnie step into the kitchen. "Midnight snack?"

"Yeah. You?" The lie flowed easily from my mouth. It wasn't like lying to my friends, there was no guilt.

"Same. Burned a lot of energy tonight." She studied the bowl. "What you guys making?"

"Nothing special. Just cookies." Lonnie dipped her finger in the bowl, tasting the mixture. "Oh, no, no."

"Wait, wait, wait."

"Relax," she smiled, "I'm not gonna double dip."

That wasn't what I was worried about. "Fell anything? Maybe it might be missing something?"

Jay gave Lonnie his most charming smile. "Hey there."

She ignored him and shrugged. "It could use some chips."

Chips? "And those are…?"

"Chocolate chips." She headed to the fridge. "Just the most important food group." Taking out a bowl and placing it in front of us Lonnie frowned. "Wait, didn't your mums ever make you guys, like, chocolate chip cookies. Like, when you're feeling sad, and they're fresh from the oven, with a big old glass of milk and she makes you laugh and puts every thing into perspective…why are you all looking at me like that?"

On the Isle we couldn't get the supplies to make such a thing. Most of all that would have involved my mother giving a flying fig where I was. The only cooking the Evil Queen ever did was to show Evie how to snag a prince. Carlos did all the cooking for Cruella and Jay's mother cared as much about him as much as my mother and Evie's father cared about us.

"It's just different where we're from."

"Yeah, I know. I just, you know, I thought… Even villains love their kids." Silence. "Oh…how awful."

Some villains loved their kids.

Dad.

Dad love me. Unconditionally.

I missed him. I was doing all this for him. Just to see him again.

A tear. A single tear escaped.

A tear of human sadness. Well, fairy/god sadness, good enough.

I flicked it into the bowl. "Yeah, well. Big bummer, but we have to get these in the oven, so thanks so much for coming by." I started spooning the now chocolate filled mixture onto the tray. "Really, good night. I'll see you tomorrow. Evil dreams and all that."

Lonnie frowned but shrugged and after grabbing her own bowl of chocolate chips she left. "Night."

Evie frowned; she had seen the tear. "You okay, Mal?"

"All good." I lied as another tear managed to escape.


	14. Part Of The Plan

_**Part of the Plan**_

_Age 15_

_I dropped myself into the seat opposite dad. "I'm old enough for the truth."_

_Dad didn't look up. "What truth?"_

"_Zeus, Magara, what you did, the whole truth."_

"_I've told you everything."_

"_You told a story to a child. I want the whole truth."_

_He finally looked up. "Why now?"_

"_I'm going to Auradon, I want to hear your truth not theirs'."_

_Dad sighed, defeated. "Very well. Where would you like me to start?"_

"_The beginning is always a good place." I leant back in the chair._

_He smiled. "Then I will start at the beginning of the world itself. First there was Chaos, a nothingness that stretched for eternity. From it came the Earth, Love, the Underworld. The Titians followed six males and six females. Cronus, time made manifest, was the last. He was, is, my father."_

"_One of the first things you ever told me was that one shouldn't fear their parent. Did you fear him?"_

"_Yes." There was no shame in his voice. "We all did. Each time my mother gave birth my father ate the child, he ate me." I didn't dare interrupt. "Hesta was the first, I was the second, the two of us so long in the dark. Then came the others. Zeus was the last but my mother tricked my father into thinking he had eaten him when he hadn't. When my brother was grown, he made Cronus vomit us all up."_

_Augh._

"_He challenged our father and won. Cronus and the other Titians were cast into Tartarus and my siblings and I took up our mantle as Olympians."_

_I remembered. Zeus, Hesta, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter and dad._

"_My brothers and I drew lots: Zeus drew the sky, Poseidon the sea and I the Underworld. The earth forever deemed neutral. And for a time, we were happy. For thousands of years we were content. I was content. But then the world started to see me as evil, as the reason for all their pain and death. I was doing my job; it could have easily been Poseidon or Zeus in the Underworld while I lounged on the throne of Olympus."_

"_And they didn't do anything to change anyone's mind."_

"_I told you before; they made me into joke. Made sure I wasn't welcome on Olympus. I grew bitter."_

_I would have too._

"_I turned to the Fates themselves; I learned that in eighteen years there would be a planetary alignment which would allow me to free the Titians and with their help cast my siblings and their brood from Olympus, I could rule, I wouldn't be bound to the Underworld. There was only one who could stop me. Zeus' new born son: Hercules. I admit, I tried to kill him, and I failed but made him mortal instead. During the next eighteen years the girl, Magara came to me. I told you I made her a deal, a life for a life. I make deals, I made a deal with her and I made a deal with Hercules, Megara's life if he did not fight me. He agreed. But Megara was injured, killed and Hercules took to the field against the Titians. I was defeated. Thrown into the river Styx. When my brother fished me out, I was sent here."_

"_Is that how they'll tell it?"_

"_I don't know, Little Dragon, I don't know."_

* * *

Present

Audrey was waiting for Ben at his locker, he saw and changed course.

Right towards me.

I smiled my sweetest smile. "Hi, Bennyboo."

He saw my words for the joke they were and returned the smile. "Hey, you coming to the game?"

"Wouldn't miss it." I reached into my locker and pulled out the bag of cookies. "Here, double chocolate chip, made them myself. I here chocolate's good for break ups."

"Thanks…but I have a game…and…and…"

"Of course." I pulled the bag back. "Never take treats from kids of villains. I'm sure all you Auradon kids were taught that."

"No…that's not…"

"It's okay, I understand."

"No." He grabbed a cookie and shoved it in his mouth, it reminded me of Carlos stuffing the limo food in. "See, mmm." A glassy look appeared over his eyes. "Mal, have you always had those little blue flecks in your eyes?"

Jay slid up beside him. "How you feeling, bro?"

"I feel… I feel… I feel…Like singing your name. Mal." He actually started to sing. "Mal."

"Hold it in bud." Jay started to drag the prince away. "We've got a game to win." He looked back at me. "Keep a look out for number eight, all right? Scoring the winning goal!"

I rolled my eyes and gave Ben a wave as he was dragged away, his eyes never leaving me.

"This is a nail-biter, folks. There's 47 seconds left on the clock. We're all tied up. The Sherwood Falcons, two. The Fighting Knights, two. What a game between Auradon's fiercest rivals."

Tourney was actually interesting, nothing like the game I thought pampered princes actually played. A team sport but there was still pushing and shoving, people, people getting shot at. I could see an even more brutal version of it taking root on the Isle.

A whistle was blown and all the players ran to there respective teams for something called a time-out.

"The teams get into their huddles and take up positions along the Kill Zone. The Dragoneers have been laying down a withering hail of fire."

The coach pointed to Jay.

"And now a substitution."

Another gesture and Carlos joined them. Jay slapped Carlos on the back and pushed him onto the field.

Carlos was actually going to play.

Evie and I cheered for our friend. Carlos would need all the support he could get.

I half expected a bloodbath but it never came. Jay and Carlos actually worked together, and with the rest of the Knights, to score a winning goal.

The crowd went wild. Evie and I cheered along with them. It was infectious.

Ben jumped up on the podium. "Give me an M."

"M." The crowd cheered.

"Give me an A."

"A."

Shit. I knew where this was going and I couldn't stop it. I just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Give me an L."

"What does that spell?"

"MAL."

"Come, I can't hear you!"

"MAL!"

All eyes were either on Ben or me, maybe darting between the both of us.

"I love you, Mal, did I mention that?"

The crowd cheered. A surprising reaction given both their apparent dislike of me and the very recent break up of Ben and Audrey.

Maybe I made the cookie too strong. This had to be embarrassing for the both of us, surely, he had to feel some embarrassment over his actions.

Lonnie squealed next to me. Evie was grinning from ear to ear.

"Give me a beat."

No. No. Absolutely not.

_***Insert Did I Mention here***_

Everyone was dancing along, even my friends.

Evie squeezed me tighter and tighter as Ben continued to declare his love for me again and again.

I started to blush. I was starting to kind of dig it.

Ben stripped off his shirt and threw it at me. What he wanted me to do with it, I had no idea but I played along, smiling and holding it closer at what I assumed was a loving gesture.

He was coming towards me, being carried towards me actually.

He landed in front of me. The crowd cheered.

"I love you, Mal, did I mention that?"

Audrey pushed her way through the crowd, dragging the obnoxious Chad behind her. She grabbed the mike. "Chad's my boyfriend now." Anything for a crown apparently.

I expected Evie to tense up next to me, to be upset at the lost chance of a prince. Only she didn't, she actually relaxed. Almost as if she was relieved Chad wasn't an option anymore.

Ben put his arm around me as I continued to grip his shirt.

Audrey glared at him. "And I'm going to the coronation with him. So I don't need your pity date." Like she was getting that anyway. She stared making out with Chad.

Augh.

Ben grabbed the mike back. "Mal! Will you go to the coronation with me?"

"Yes."

All according to plan.

So, why didn't I feel good about it?


	15. Complicated Love

_**Complicated Love**_

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry I've been MIA, I will keep updating it just might take a while**_

* * *

_Age 13_

_(Inspired by the reviews of JEN-M and MusicWithinMe)_

_I didn't know what Evie was on about. Kissing wasn't that exciting. I didn't even know why she had even suggested the stupid game._

_It was nearly midnight but dad was still waiting up for me. "How was the party?"_

"_Fine." I shrugged. Parties weren't really my thing but Evie wouldn't shut up about it until I went, if I hadn't, I would have never heard the end of it._

"_Anything interesting happen?"_

_I paused. What did he know? How would he know? "Like?"_

"_Any alcohol?"_

"_We're thirteen."_

"_Any alcohol, Mal?"_

_I sighed. "No."_

"_Any boys?"_

_I hid a cringe. "It was the Gastons' party, it was mostly boys."_

"_Anything happen with them?"_

"_With the Gastons'? Never." Augh._

"_With any boy, Mal."_

_I couldn't lie, not to him. The best I could do was stay silent._

"_Mal?"_

_I still didn't answer._

"_Mal?"_

_I caved. "It was just a kiss."_

"_What?!" If dad's hair could still light itself it would have turned red. "Who?"_

"_Nobody important."_

"_Mal?" I knew that tone, a warning._

"_Jimmy Le Fou."_

_Now he was more confused than angry. "Le Fou? Really?"_

_I shrugged. "It was spin the broken bottle." The glare returned. "It was Evie's idea."_

"_Bed. Now. Young Lady." He pointed to my room._

"_Really?"_

"_Now."_

_I wasn't scared of him; not like I had been with my mother but I knew when I was about to push him too far. "Night."_

_His gaze softened. "Night, little demon."_

_Three days later Jimmy Le Fou was found hanging by his underwear on the school flag pole. He refused to speak about how he got there._

* * *

Present

Jay grabbed Ben by the shoulders, steering him back down to the field. "Let's go, Ben. The whole team's waiting for you.

He nodded in a daze; his eyes still fixed on me. "Yeah."

I gave him a small wave. "Bye."

"What a victory. What a day for the Auradon Knights, finally winning back the trophy after so many years." A hesitant pause. "And a hug round of applause for that lovely performance by Auradon's very own Prince Ben."

Another round of cheers.

The only one not cheering was Audrey, she was holding hands with Chad but she didn't look happy.

"I feel sorry for Audrey." That was the only way I could really put it.

Evie didn't look convinced. "Really?"

"Yeah," I turned to face my friend. "I feel like if she were talented like you, and she knew how to sew and just be plain awesome, she wouldn't need a prince to make her feel better about herself."

"I guess I am really talented." Evie blushed.

"No crown or castle needed."

"Thanks, Mal."

After all the fighting, it felt good to slip into our old banter. Evie was my best friend and as much I wanted to get him off the Isle dad wouldn't want me to sacrifice my friendship to do so.

"And there he is, Jay, the most valuable player. How do you like that?"

We cheered and screamed for our friend. He deserved the award and he deserved the friends he'd made by joining the team.

Maybe Fairy Godmother was right about a few things.

Only a few.

* * *

"Mal, Mal, wait up."

I turned to see Ben jogging to catch up with me.

I put on my biggest smile. "Hey."

He caught up to me. "Hey."

"What's up?"

He rang his hands nervously. "Did you want to go on a date…with me?"

I stopped walking. It was too much to hope for to just go to the coronation with him. Apparently, I would have to play the happy girlfriend before it too. "Umm. Sure. Saturday?"

Ben nodded. "I'll pick you up at 11." He started to walk away.

"Wait," I called after him. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

Why did that laugh make my heart race even more than his smile did?

My smile suddenly died.

I'd never been on a date before.

How did one prepare for such a thing?

What did one wear?

There was only one person I could ask.

I mentally prepared myself for the squealing.

* * *

To her credit Evie didn't actually squeal when I found her with Doug. She just went into Evie mode.

"We can handle this." She took my arm and waved to Doug. "Bye."

Doug had a dreamy look on his face, no love spell required. "Bye." It looked like Evie had an admirer.

From the smile she returned she just might have liked him back. No castle, no title, just a boy who had been kind to her when everyone else expected the worst from her.

She didn't even bother to look in my small draw, heading for her own wardrobe.

Evie glanced over her shoulder as she flicked through her massive collection of clothes, it had only grown since arriving in Auradon. "You're lucky we're the same size."

I crossed my arms. "I can wear my own clothes, you know?"

"Absolutely not." She started pulling out outfits and throwing them on the bed. Every so often she would hold an outfit out between us. I knew she wasn't asking for my opinion; she was visualizing the outfit on me. That was how Evie's mind worked; give her a piece of fabric and she exactly what it could be made into, give her an outfit and she would show you the best way to wear it.

I took a seat on my bed. This was going to take a while.


	16. Dream of Fire

_**Dreams of Fire**_

* * *

_Age 3_

_Mother stalked through the hallways of her castle, even her minions were in hiding behind closed doors. I peeked through a crack in mine as she got closer and closer._

_She didn't know I was here._

_She didn't know I was here._

_I had to repeat the words over and over again, trying to convince myself they were true._

_She didn't know I was here._

"_Mal, come out, come out, wherever you are."_

_I could face her._

_I should face her._

_But I didn't._

_Why didn't I?_

_The door flew open, sending me flying across the room._

"_Hello, Mal."_

* * *

Present

The screams woke me.

Evie's screams.

Fire.

My bed was on fire.

Blue flames licked the fabric. Consuming it.

I jumped out of bed, feeling the heat of the flames that refused to burn me, I threw open the window.

Grabbing Evie by the hand we escaped into the hall. I pulled her into a hug as the flames continued to consume the room. The blue flames slowly disappeared as new orange ones flared.

The other girls were in the hallway now, awaken by Evie's screams.

Still not letting go I whispered in Evie's ear. "Just go with me. I'll explain everything later."

She nodded into my shoulder and started to sob.

The screams had been real, the tears were far from it.

The flames were spreading, they were starting to flick out of the door.

Everyone ran. Some of them screamed.

They kept running until they were out of the castle, Evie and I trailing behind.

It didn't take long for Fairy Godmother to join us, then the boys.

"Everyone, please calm down." She tried to sooth the crowd of students. It was chilly outside and whether in shock or the cold a number of students were clinging to each other. "It is all being taken care of, you may return to your rooms momentarily."

"It was her!" I spun around to see Audrey pointing an accusing finger at me. "She started the fire."

I kept my cool, literally, and only just. "Why would I do that?" I gave her a crooked smile. "Maybe you set the fire."

"Yeah." Evie was going with it just like I asked. "You think Mal set the fire in your locker. Maybe this is your twisted revenge."

"Takes a villain to know revenge."

"You didn't say no." I was so close to snapping. I could feel heat rising.

"Neither did you."

"I. Did. Not. Start. The. Fire."

"Ladies," Fairy Godmother tried to defuse the situation. "A full investigation will be completed and we will find the truth." There was a hint of warning in her voice, to both of us; if we were guilty, we would be caught.

Unfortunately, I was guilty.

Jay and Carlos slipped up beside us as I started to ignore Audrey's glare.

Carlos was pale. "You two okay?"

"We're fine," Evie assured him. "Just a bit of a fright."

"You know?" Jay smiled wickedly. "Empty dorms mean free stuff."

"Not tonight." I was too tired. "All I want is to go back to bed."

"What bed?"

The one that burned.

Well, that was just great.

A bell sounded and Fairy Godmother smiled. "All clear, you may return to bed. With all this excitement I think it's best we have a sleep in. tomorrow's first period is cancelled." A small cheer escaped the crowed. "Mal, Evie, wait here please."

Students begun to shuffle back to bed. Jay and Carlos gave us worried looks, but I shooed them after the rest of the boys.

Once everyone was gone Fairy Godmother stood before us, she shuffled slightly. "Girls, I have to ask…?"

"We didn't start the fire." Evie was on the defensive before I could be.

Fairy Godmother looked us over before nodding. "There are a couple of spare beds in the teachers' wing. You may stay there tonight and we'll sort out some permeant accommodation tomorrow."

"What about our stuff? All my fabric was in there. My clothes."

Her mirror.

My ember.

Fairy Godmother spoke softly. "We'll see what we can salvage in the morning. Right now, I think we could all use some rest."

Rest. I wouldn't be getting anymore rest. Not tonight.

* * *

"Ruined, all ruined." Evie picked up swatches of fabric that all but disintegrated in her hand.

"I'm so sorry, girls." Fairy Godmother's eagle eye watched us sort through the ashes of our room. "We'll find some replacements for everything that burned."

I didn't want the poufy dresses the Auradon girls wore, I wanted my ripped pants and leather jacket.

All burned now.

More importantly the pages of my mother's spellbook that I had carefully copied were nothing but ash now.

I wouldn't be able to reverse the spell on Ben.

He would be forced to love me forever.

If I got Fairy Godmother's wand, I might be able to undo it. Unfortunately, that would be playing right into my mother's hands. I'd be caught with the wand, Ben would know as soon as I undid the spell. Then my choices were; get sent back to the Isle where mother would be waiting for me or help the villains escape and over run Auradon. Dad would be free then, he would protect me from any goody two shoes that came after me.

That was that, to free Ben, I had to free the villains.

* * *

A/N:

I know I've been MIA for months but I did promise I would update eventually. Not sure when the next update will be.

"


End file.
